Hinge for trunks or lockers



March 13, 1951 F. 1-. PADEN 2,544,721

HINGE FOR TRUNKS 0R LOCKERS Filed March 29, 1945 INVENTOR.

i atented Mar. 13, 1951 HINGE FOR TRUNKS OR LOCKERS Frederick T. Paden, United States Army, Collingswood, N. J.

Application March 29, 1945, Serial N 0. 585,507

(Granted under the act of March 3, 1883', as

11 Claims.

amended April 30, 1928; 370 O. G. 757) The invention described herein, if patented, may be manufactured and used by or for the Government for governmental purposes, without the payment to me of any royalty thereon.

This invention relates to a hinge, and more particularly to a hinge for a trunk, locker or similar container, which can be shortened by slidably moving the hinge leaves toward each other in a direction parallel to their faces.

Conventional hinges on trunks or lockers often fail when the trunk is packed too fully and the lid is closed by application of force or pressure; this subjects the hinge to great strain because of the leverage exerted, and breaking of the hinge or failure of the nails or screws with which the hinge is secured to the trunk is the frequent result.

Another problem arises from the shipment of trunks or lockers overseas. It sometimes happens that the trunk accidentally falls into the water during loading or unloading; water penetrates between the lid and the body of the trunk, and its contents are spoiled. To water-proof the trunk by means of a gasket is difficult when a conventional hinge is used, because the rear edges of the body and the lid of the trunk are substantially flush and do not permit the insertion of a gasket. The present invention solves these and other difficulties inherent in the prior art by providing a hinge which can be shortened by slidably moving its leaves into each other, and which can be releasably retained in the shortened position.

In a hinge according to the present invention, the upper leaf pivots around the hinge pin and is secured to it by a sleeve. Thepin has limited vertical sliding movement in slots or other guidings in a box-shaped housing provided on the lower leaf. Normally, the leaves are urged towards a spaced-apart position by a spring which is mounted in a housing on the lowerleaf and which bears against the pin in its sleeve; in this position-there is a gap between the lid and the body of the trunk. When it is desired to close the gap and shorten the hinge, the upper leaf ispulled down by a link or loop fastener or drawbolt which is attached to the lower leaf by means of a pivoted lever. In gasket-equipped trunks, that operation causes a compression of the gasket, whereby the trunk is rendered water-proof.

An object of the invention is a hinge which can be shortened by slidably moving its leaves into each other.

Another object of the invention is a hinge for use in a trunk or locker which normally leaves a gap between the rear edges of the body and the lid of the trunk or locker, and which can tighten the lid after the latter is closed.

A further object of the present invention is a trunk or locker for overseas shipment, which is water-proofed by a gasket between its lid and body, the gasket being compressed by shortening the hinges and tightening the lid.

Still another object is a hinge for a trunk or locker, which will not break when the lid is forced down on a too fully packed trunk or locker.

And another object of the invention is a hinge in which the hinge pin has limited vertical sliding movement in one leaf and in which the other leaf freely pivots around the pin regardless of the relative position of the pin. I

A further object isa hinge having leaves which partly slide into each other without preventing pivoting movement around the hinge pin.

Another object of the invention is the combination in a hinge of a spring which urges the hinge leaves in a direction substantially parallel to theirfaces with releasable toggle means which overcome the" tendency of the spring and draw the leaves toward each other.

Still other objects of the invention willi 'readily' appear from the following detailed description of the hinge and appended drawings.

While the use for a hinge according to the present invention is primarily found; in connection with a trunk or locker, it is by no means limited thereto, and other usesjwill readily suggest themselves in appropriate cases."

In the appended drawings I illustrate a, hinge in accordance with my invention applied 'toa trunk, and a detailed representation of a preferred embodiment of my hinge. J

Fig. 1 is a side view of an open trunk provided with a hinge in accordancewi-th my invention.

Fig. 2 is a side view of the trunk shown in- Fig. l, with the lid in a nearly closedposition and just prior to the shortening of the hinge.

Fig. 3 is a side view of the trunk illustrated in Figs; 1 and 2, after the closing of the lid andshortening of the hinge;

Fig; 4 illustrates in front elevation a preferred embodiment of my hinge, in the unshortened position.

Fig. 5 is a lateral section through the embodiment' shown in Fig. 4' along the line 5-5.

Fig. 6 is a front elevation of the hinge illustrated in Fig. 4 after the hinge has been shortened.

Fig. '7 is a side elevation corresponding to Fig. 6.-

Fig. 8 is a rear elevation corresponding'to Fig.4.

Fig. 9 is a cross section through the embodiment of Fig. 4 along the lines 99.

In the following detailed description of the drawings, I i denotes the body of a trunk made of metal, fiber, wood, etc.; I2 the lid; and I3, I3 a conventional loop and lever closure fastener. A compressible water-proof gasket I4 made of rubber, cork, or other suitable material, is provided between the upper edges of trunk body II and the lower edges of lid i2. While the drawings show the gasket I4 applied to the upper edges of trunk body II, it is to be understood that it will be equally effective if applied to the lower edges of lid I2. Trunk body II and lid I2 are joined by a pair of specially constructed hinges which will be described in greater detail below; only one hinge is illustrated in Figs, 1 to 3, and is denoted by numeral I5. Itwill be noted from Figs. 1 and 2 that hinge I5 is so fastened to trunk H, and

I2, that there is a gap between the rear edges of body II and lid I2, when lid I2 is open (Fig. l), as well as when it is closed (Fig. 2). This gap is eliminated by shortening the hinge I5 in a manner described below; when hinge I5 is thus shortened either before or after closing front closure fastener I3, I3, gasket I4 is compressed and a water-tight seal between trunk body II and lid I2 is effected (see Fig. 3)

The preferred embodiment of my specially constructed hinge as shown in Figs. 4 to 9 consists of an upper leaf l6 and a lower leaf I'I joined by a hinge pin or pintle I8. The lower or inner end of upper leaf I6 is fashioned into a sleeve I9 which envelops pintle IS with the exception of the outermost portions of the latter, which protrude from sleeve I9. Lower leaf I1 is a plate adapted to be fastened to the trunk or locker; on the front side of the plate is provided a boxshaped housing 20, the inner width of which is slightly larger than the length of sleeve I9, and which is open at its top. There are two vertical slots 2|, 2| cut out from the sides of housing near but not quite extending to its upper edge; the length of the slots is relatively short and determines the rate of the shortening of the hinge by causing upper leaf IE to slide toward lower leaf I'I. Slots 2I, 21' provide a seat for pintle I8 which thus can rotate as well as slide in them. Upper leaf I6 extends upwardly through the open top of housing 20. Near the lower end ofhousing 26 is a lug 22; a helical spring 23 rests on lug 22 with its lower end, and the upper end of spring 23 bears against sleeve I9, which causes pintle I8 to be urged against the upper terminals of slots 2I, 2I, In this non-shortened position of the hinge, which corresponds to Figs. 1 and 2, upper leaf I6 is freely tiltable in relation to lower leaf I! because pintle IB can freely rotate in its seat in slots 2I, 2I, and because sleeve I9 which is an integral part of leaf I6 is in rotatable relation to pintle I8.

For the purpose of tightening the hinge by causing the upper leaf I6 to slide toward lower leaf II, a lever 24 is pivotally secured to lower leaf I'I below lug 22 by means of a pin 25 which is preferably seated in the lower-most end of the 'side portions of housing 20. Pivotally secured to the long arm of lever 24 is loop 26. Upper leaf I6 has on its face a loop-engaging hook 21; when lever 24 is tilted upwardly, the outer end of loop 26 can engage hook 21. When lever 24 is pulled down, loop 26 draws upper leaf I6 downwardly, and pintle I8 is caused to slide down in slots 2 I, 2 I, thereby compressing spring 23 (see Fig. 6). Th hinge is now in the shortened position corresponding to Fig. 3. Because of the rotatable re-' lation between pintle l8 and slots 21, 2I' on the one hand, and pintle I8 and sleeve I9 on the other, it is possible to tilt upper leaf I6 in relation to lower leaf I1 even in this shortened position of the hinge. To secure lever 24 when in the downward position against the upwardly thrusting tendency of spring 23, the upper end of a leaf spring 28 bears against lever 24 near its fulcrum; the lower end of leaf spring 28 is fastened to the plate which constitutes lower leaf I'I.

When it is desired to release the hinge from the shortened position, lever 24 is tilted upwardly and loop 26 released from hook 21. The helical spring 23 will then automatically push pintle I8 and sleeve I9 upwardly.

The foregoing detailed description of a preferred embodiment of a hinge according to my invention is not to be construed as a limitation of the scope of my invention to the precise structure described, but rather as an illustration of an example in which the principle of my invention can be realized. Other embodiments of my invention using substantial equivalents of the parts described by me will readily suggest themselves to the experts in the art. Therefore, I desire that the scope of my invention be limited by the appended claims only.

I claim:

1. A hinge comprising two leaves, a sleeve at the inner end of one leaf, a pintle partly enveloped in said sleeve, guide means on the other leaf for slidable retention of said pintle, releasable means for slidably moving said leaves toward each other in a direction substantially parallel to their faces, and resilient means urging said leaves in the opposite direction.

2. A hinge comprising two leaves, a sleeve at the inner end of one leaf, a pintle partly enveloped in said sleeve, guide means on the other leaf for slidable retention of said pintle, releasable means for slidably moving said leaves toward each other in a direction substantially parallel to their faces, said means comprising lever-operated link means between said leaves, and resilient Zneans urging said leaves in the opposite direcion.

3. A hinge comprising two leaves, a sleeve at the inner end of one leaf, a pintle partly enveloped in said sleeve, guide means on the other leaf for slidable retention of said pintle, a spring seated on said second-named leaf and bearing against said sleeve, and releasable means for slidably moving said leaves toward each other in a direction substantially parallel to their faces.

4. In a hinge comprising two leaves and a pintle and adapted to be effectively shortened by slidably moving said leaves toward each other in a direction substantially parallel to their faces: a partly open housing on one leaf, guide means within said housing providing a seat for said pintle and permitting limited sliding movement of said pintle, a spring seated in said housing and urging said leaves in a spaced-apart direction substantially parallel to their faces, and means between said leaves for pulling said leaves toward each other in a direction substantially parallel to their faces.

5. In a hinge comprising two leaves and a pintle and adapted to be effectively shortened by slidably moving said leaves toward each other in a direction substantially parallel to their faces: a partly open housing on one leaf, guide means within said housing providing a seat for said pintle and permitting limited sliding movement of said pintle, a spring seated in said housing and urging said leaves in a spaced-apart direction substantially parallel to their faces, and means between said leaves for pulling said leaves toward each other in a direction substantially parallel to their faces, said last-named means comprising a lever-operated loop associated with one leaf and a loop-engaging hook on the other leaf.

6. A hinge comprising a pintle, a leaf secured to said pintle, a second leaf, a slotted seat on said second leaf for slidably seating said pintle on said second leaf, a lug on said second leaf, a spring resting on said lug and pressing said leaves in a spaced-apart direction substantially parallel to their faces and means for pulling said first-named leaf toward said second leaf in a direction substantially parallel to their faces for effectively shortening said hinge and retaining it in the shortened position, said means comprising a lever pivoted on one leaf, a loop pivotally secured to the arm of said lever and loop-engaging means on the other leaf.

7. A hinge comprising two leaves, a pintle secured to one leaf, guide means on the other leaf for slidable retention of said pintle, releasable means for slidably moving said leaves towards each other in a direction substantially parallel to their faces, and resilient means urging said leaves in the opposite direction.

8. A hinge comprising two leaves, a pintle, means for securing one leaf to said pintle, guide means on the other leaf for slidable retention of said pintle, releasable means for moving said leaves towards each other in a direction substantially parallel totheir faces, and a spring seated on said other leaf and positively urging said pintle in the opposite direction.

9. A hinge comprising two leaves, a pintle secured to one of said leaves, guide means on the other leaf for slidable retention of said pintle, releasable means for slidably moving said leaves towards each other in a direction substantially parallel to their faces, said releasable means comprising toggle means between said leaves, and resilient means positively urging said leaves in the opposite direction when said releasable means are disengaged.

10. A hinge comprising a pintle, a first leaf secured to said pintle, a second leaf, a slotted seat on said second leaf slidably securing said pintle to said second leaf, a lug on said second leaf, a spring resting on said lug, said spring positively urging the slidable pintle and said first leaf in a direction away from said second leaf and substantially parallel to the faces of said leaves, and means for pulling said first leaf towards said second leaf and for shortening said hinge and retaining it in said shortened position.

11. A hinge comprising a pintle, a first leaf secured to said pintle, a second leaf, a slotted seat on said second leaf for slidably securing said pintle on said second leaf, a lug on said second leaf below said seat, a spring resting on said lug, said spring positively urging the slidable pintle and said first leaf in a direction away from said second leaf and substantially parallel to the faces of said leaves, and means for pulling said first leaf towards said second leaf in a direction substantially parallel to their faces and for effectively shortening said hinge and retaining it in the shortened position, said means comprising a lever pivoted on one of said leaves, a loop pivotally secured to the long arm of said lever, a leaf-spring on the lever-carrying leaf bearing against the short arm of said lever, and a loop-engaging hook on the other of said leaves.

FREDERICK T. PAlDEN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,498,654 Hauptman June 24, 1924 1,707,027 Schwarzenberger et a1. Mar. 26,, 1929 1,708,829 Cheney Apr. 9, 1929 1,840,211 Reinhart Jan. 5, 1932 1,920,975 Eber et al Aug. 8, 1933 2,238,530 Lickteig Apr. 15, 1941 2,349,486 Crosman May 23, 1944 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 553,785 Great Britain June 4, 1943 

